Multifilament lamp



May 13, 1941.

J. E. HATULA MULTIFILAMENT LAMP Filed Dec. 8, 1939 6 i M 4. M T @N 1 8 m 9 W 2 mfl ,2 M L 7 M M L J ments.

iatentecl May 13, 1941 UNITED; STATES candescent electric lamps .and bases and more particularly to lamps of this kind, wherein the .filaments may be selectivelyconnected to the source of electric energy, by rotation of the lamp g on its base, to'secure variousillumina'ting effects.

One: object Ofthis invention is to'provide a lamp which may be rotated with referenceto its base to select the filament or filaments to be illuminated. 1* p y Another object is to provide a lamp base havin two insulating members effective to.;be rotated with reference to'-leach other, constituting 'a switch to control the circuits to the. lamp-fila- Another Another object to provide, a lamp base having a plurality of switches, of the same number as thefilaments', and means to cause a quick make and break of the electric circuit in the actof selecting the filamentsto be illuminated or disconnected.

Another object-is to providexan electric lamp having a screw shell base, whichmay be screwed in a standard socket and in which the amount of illumination can be controlled by rotating the lamp. with reference to the less extent.

base, to .a greater or Additional objects will appearjih the specification and claims, all of which will comewithin the scope of this inventions -Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 isfa side view of the lamp and section. 1

,Fig.-.2 is a top view of the lamp filaments looks ing at Fig. 1 from the top. 3

Fig; 3 is a detail as indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailas indicated in Fig; 1.

Fig. 5 is a modification. 1

Fig. 6 is adetail as indicated inFig. 5.

Similar numerals apply to the same parts throughout the different views,

This invention consists essentially; of the 11- r object is to provides lampbasehavih 1 an electric switch to control each filament of the lamp.

base in This invention rel'atesto multiple filament in- For, the purpc seof simplifying the drawing the filaments inFig. 1 are shown as occupying 180 of space around thesupport 8, whereas in practicethe filaments are usually-arranged to go three quarters; of tne way or more around the central. "supportiv as' 'shownln' Fig.2.

The lead wires {and} are ,globe l arranged in a single plane in a central Q 9 is an insulating disc' "I 0 whichmay be cemented small longitudinal grooves l I @spacedv around its 1 inward projection I of the same and fromthere extend tothebaseof the'lamp. f

There is a lead wire 4 for each filament 2 and a single leadwirej common to all of the filaments 2;

The base "8-wi-t'h which" lamp is assembledincludesascrew shell 9 effective to be screwed into the electric socket with which it is used.

Secured withinqthe lower end of the screw shell or otherwise secured therein,- and -to* facilitate this the disc I (If is, provided with a plurality of peripheryto holdthe cements Mounted on ,th upper sideiofthe disclll is a for each filament 2. I e

The lead wires 4 are soldered or otherwise elecring ll having a pair of diametrically opposite Pair of; grooves "in the disc l0,

,Abovethe,v disc Ill ndv spaced therefrom is a fingers llbent. downwardly and crimped' in a cylindrical, terminal support l I, having a groove Iiiar'oundits curved side. On one side of the support'is a rectangular depressionv l6 ,communi c'a'tlng with the groove l5. "Theterminal sup- .port I4 is 'secured' to a tubular shell [1, which is telescopedfwithinthe shell {and free to rotate therein-and is assembled by spinning a head I! in the shell [1 to enter the'gr'oove IS. A small rectangular portion 28 of the shell I! is'b'ent inwardly into the depression 16 to prevent the termlnalsuppor-t 14 from turning in the shell I'l'. In one 'h'alf ot the terminal support 14 are assembled four spaced terminal eyelets l9, one

trically connected to the eyelets I9.

y o r cured asleeve 20,1 0 the upper end of which is luminating member or lamp andthe base upon' which it is mounted. I r r The illuminating member or lamp comprisesthe glass globe l in which are mounted the filaments 2, having their ends connected tolead in wires 3 g and 4. The filaments 2 are prevented from sagging or becoming displaced, by supporting wires .5..which hold the filaments 2 at one end thereof In thecenter of the-terminalsupport it is seconnected the common lead wire- 3.

v I n;order toprovide means whereby thetermim pport I fand shell I! can rotate with referenceto the disc l0, ring II and screw shell 9, a

' centralstudfflf is securely. threaded at its upper and which are secured to a glass support 8 'comend into the collar- 2Q while the lower end 'ofthe stud 2] is rotatable in a sleeve 22 securedin the dlsc l0 and is heldln place by [a nut 21 screwed on the stud 2| andbearing against a shoulder on sealedinto thegla-ss the end of the stud 2i and may be also soldered thereto.

Between the disc l and terminal support I4 are mounted four contact springs 24, secured at one end to the ring H' and which at the-other end, bear resiliently against the lower ends of the contact eyelets I9, or against ti t- 1: portion of the lower surface of the support I4 which has no I eyelets l9 depending upon the relative position of the terminal support H to the disc.

The free ends of the contact springs 24 are refiexed as shown in Fig. 1, so that the terminal support [4 may be rotated in either direction with reference thereto.

In order to facilitate the rotation of .the lamp,

after it has been screwed into a socket, to control the illumination, an insulating ring 25 with a knurled periphery is secured to the'shell H.

The lamp globe I may be secured to the .shell H by cement 28, the shell having a flared end 21 to conform to the shape of the lower part of the globe I.

In operation, the lampis rotated upon its base to bring the contacts 24 into electric contact with the filament terminal eyelets I9 and is rotated through 180 in passing from the position when the springs 24 are all bearing against the surface of the terminal support l4, when the lamp is not illuminated, to the position wh'ere all of the springs 24 bear against all of the eyelets l9, when the lamp is fullyilluminated. p

In order to limit the amount of such movement,

I the shell I1 is provided with a projecting member 33 which comes against a shoulder 34 in the cured thereto; by extension 28 passing through slots 32 and held in place by being bent over at the end on the top of the terminal support l4.

The lead wires 4 in this casepa-ss through openings 3| and may be soldered or otherwise secured to the contacts 28 at one edge thereof.

This modified construction has the advantage of making quick make and break electric contacts when operated. In this case the lamp rotates in one direction only as compared with rotating in both directions, through a half revolution, as in the construction first disclosed.

It is understood, of course, that while this embodiment shows a lamp with four filaments 2, and four sets of switchmembers 24-i8 therefor, yet obviously any number of filaments and a corresponding number of switch members may be used.

It is also understood that the fi1aments2 may be all of the same or difierent candle powers as desired, for example, one filament might be intended to be used as a night light'with comparatively low candle power while the remaining fila-.

ments could be all alike or difierent.

While this invention has been disclosed as applying to a multiple filamentlampyet it is not "MN-a! i-hnrPf/a as the base could be used with could make and use the same, what I claim as my invention and wish to secure in Letters Patent is the following:

1. In combination with an incandescent lamp having a plurality of filaments, of a base for the lamp, including a straight metal tube secured at one end to the lamp, 9. disc of insulating material secured to the other end of the tube, filament terminals assembled to said disc, a screw shell, effective to be inserted in an electric socket,

having a straight tubular end, telescoped over the first named tube, forming a bearing for the latter to be journaled therein, a second disc with insulating material, assembled to the bottom of the screw shell, and a 'pluralityof resilient contacts secured to the second disc, one for each filament and efiective to contact the filament terminals when the lamp is rotated.

2. In combination with an incandescent lamp, having a plurality of filaments, of a base for the lamp, including a straight metal tube secured at one end to 'the lamp, a disco! insulating @material secured to the other end of thetube,

filament terminals'assembled to said disc, a screw shell, effective to be inserted in an electric socket,

having a straight tubular end, telescoped over the first named tube, forming a bearing upon which the latter is journaled, a second disc of insulating material, assembled to the bottom of the screw shell, a plurality of resilient contacts, effective to. contact the filament terminals when the lamp is rotated and an annular metal member, having fingers extending from the periphery thereof, secured to the second disc by said fingers, and t6 which annular metal member resilient contacts are secured.

3. A base for an electric lamp, including a straight metal tube, secured at one end directly to the lamp, 2. pair of switch members rotatable and coacting to control current to the lamp, one member, including a disc of insulating material, secured to the opposite end of the tube, and electric contacts assembled-to said disc, connected to the lamp, a screw shell having a straight tube at one end telescoped with the first named tube, upon which it is free to rotate, the other switch member including a disc of insulating material secured to the screw shell and electric contacts mounted on the disc and'connected thereto effective to engage the first named contacts, and means to retain both tubes in assembled rotatable juxtaposition.

4. A base for an electric lamp, including a straight metal tube, securedat one end to the lamp, a screw shell having a straight tube at one end, telescoped with and j'ournaled upon the first 

